During
the South African War from 1899 to 1900 he served in the Orange Free State,
Transvaal, Orange River Colony and Cape Colony, being wounded in action. Whilst serving in Indiahe was responsible for the unloading of aircraft and
equipment of the Bristol and Colonial Aeroplane Co. expedition which arrived in
India to demonstrate the new art of flying.He was allowed to fly during these demonstrations as an observer and was
soon involved in manoeuvres, which showed him the advantages of aerial
reconnaissance.Whilst working at
the War Office under General David Henderson, he learnt to fly,

gaining Royal Aero Club Certificate No 525 on 16 June 1913, later taking the
short course at the CFS andbeing
appointed to the RFC Reserve.Left
in Britain at the start of WW1 he was responsible for supply and equipment as
well as finding the resources to provide further squadrons for the front in
France.When Henderson
returned to the War Office, Brancker was able to move to France.

Never
a particularly good pilot, he was however, an excellent administrator.One day as a Major-General he was carrying out a tour of inspection andmade a poor landing at the airfield in question.Walking away from the aircraft, he was accosted by a junior instructor
who, unable to see his rank badges under his coat admonished him for his poor
performance and ordered him to go up a again and practice.Brancker promptly did as he was told and only revealedwho he was on his return.Having
given evidence to the Smuts Inquiry he found himself 'demoted' to Acting
Deputy Director-General of Military Aeronautics and then sent to the Middle East
as GOC.However with the passing of
the Air Force Act and the formation of the Air Ministry, Brancker found himself
back in the UK and a member of the newly formed Air Council as
Controller-General of Equipment.

With the cessation of hostilities and the general run-down of the RAF, he
decided to retire with the intention of developing commercial aviation and
together with Brigadier-General Festing he formed Air Transport & Travel.Appointed Director of Civil Aviation in 1922, he remained dedicated to
the development of civil air routes across the empire utilizing both aircraft
and airships.It was in this
capacity that he found himself on the inaugural flight off the R101 airship from
Cardington to India.Sir Sefton Brancker died shortly after 2am on the
morning of 5 October 1930, when the R101 hit the Beavais Ridge in France and
burst into flames killing 48 crew and passengers (only six survived).The accident not only destroyed the R101 but also put an end to further
British Airship development.